ALAN SPARHAWK

He is a Duluth musician who fronts the band Low, as well as the Black Eyed Snakes, and is involved in promoting local musicians on his own Chairkickers label. His interest in the Maasai goes back to when he first heard Maasai music on the Rhythm of the Maasai CD. He became interested not only in the music, but the people behind it. Together, he and Hans decided that they would work on a community project that would benefit the Maasai community of Namuncha that shared their music with the rest of the world.

SIMON SAITOTI

He is well respected leader within the Maasai community and in his village of Namuncha where he resides with his wife and six children. He has long been involved in community projects, playing a large role in the organizing and construction of the local grammar school. His current projects include translating AIDS literature into the Maa (Maasai) language and coorditating the construction of the adult learning center in Namuncha.

HANS JOHNSON (www.laleyio.com)

He is currently studying Anthropology at the University of Minnesota. He has worked with his very good friend Simon over the years to record the music of the Maasai people (listen to a sample clip here). He released a CD entitled Rhythm of the Maasai, which has fully funded a program that provides free adult literacy classes in the village of Namuncha. Along with Alan and Simon, he will be helping to give the students and teachers a permanent structure where they can hold classes and community meetings.